Phoenix officials rate mountain trails for difficulty

Public-safety and parks officials have created a trail guide - phoenix.gov/parks/trails/trailrate.html - to rate the mountain trails in Phoenix, a plan that is being expanded for all Maricopa County mountain trails. The goal is to help novice or experienced hikers, alike, match their skills to a trail.

The rating system defines the trails according to six designations. During summer and humid days, each trail moves up one spot in the rating system, including difficult trails, which become rated "extremely difficult."